I'm Rubber, You're Glue
by Katseester
Summary: Set of 100 drabbles, P4 cast-centric. 5 sets of 20. / "You know, I think that's the first time anyone's managed to make King Moron so frustrated he actually set fire to his desk," Chie muses as the fire department rolls up.
1. You Can't Run Me Down

So I've decided to work on drabbles for now to get back in the hang of writing. Who knows, maybe I'll actually continue after this.

Will try to commit to a weekly schedule, but my laptop is still in for repairs and I have no idea how much time I'm going to get on my sister's.

Anyways, a lot of these are gen, a lot of these are shippy, some are sad, some are happy, some I'm just making fun of the game mechanics or the anime with.

Contains spoilers for Persona 4 and the extra content added in The Golden. Title taken from a line of dialogue in Kou's Strength S. Link, one of the higher ranks.

Contains spoilers for the end of Persona 3.

I also ship really dumb things so I'm sorry but they are most likely going to be included later. (Naoto/Rise and Kou/Daisuke and a couple OT3s, for those who were wondering, along with maybe some other random insinuations.)

* * *

**1. Birth**

"Did we...did we just watch the birth of Teddie?" Kanji asks when he thinks it's safe enough to.

"No. Yes. Maybe. I don't know." Yosuke has his head in his hands. "What _was_ that?"

"I'd give it about an eight out of ten," Souji says, contemplative.

Yosuke and Kanji stare at him.

"The delivery was good, but you just can't beat rolling waves and sea shells," he explains.

"I don't even know you, man," Yosuke moans, letting his head fall to the table.

**2. Enthusiasm**

"I didn't know you'd be so enthusiastic," Souji says, sweat beaded on his brow and chest heaving.

"Shut up," Yosuke groans. "You liked it."

"I did," Souji agrees. "We should do it again sometime."

Yosuke tries not to think about how red his face is.

**3. Complicated**

"S-Senpai," Rise gasps, trying to hide her face behind her hands. "I'm so sorry, Senpai..."

Souji doesn't make a move towards her.

Rise looks up from her hands. She's mildly miffed behind the tears. "Aren't you going to...I don't know, hug me or something? Comfort me?"

Souji tries not to stare at his shoes, a sheepish expression on his face. "This is awkward. It's a bit more complicated than that..."

"I don't get it." Rise crosses her arms.

"Trust me, it's best that you don't," Souji says, giving her an apologetic look. He makes to pat her shoulder but thinks better of it. "I _am_ here for you, just...from a distance."

**4. Making History**

"You know, I think that's the first time anyone's managed to make King Moron so frustrated he actually set fire to his desk," Chie muses as the fire department rolls up.

Yosuke groans. He's so dead tomorrow.

**5. Rivalry**

"Senpai and I made knit kitties yesterday," Kanji says. "They were real cute."

"Yeah, well, last weekend we went to the movies together. It was awesome," Yosuke says.

Kanji frowns. "I dunno why you're getting your panties in a twist, Yosuke-senpai. All we did was make knit cats."

"Well – shut up!"

**6. Unbreakable**

Souji feels the light inside of him fade and the words _you've forged an unbreakable bond_ whisper softly until they're gone.

He looks at the bandages clutched in his hand.

Yosuke sits up, eyeing him with awe. "This...is my power?" he says, then he smiles, eyes lighting with understanding. "Huh. I get it. The power to protect what's dear to me. Just want I wanted." He laughs, a little nervous, a little hesitant. "Thank you."

Souji nods, and tucks the bandages away somewhere safe.

**7. Obsession**

"Oh. Wow," Souji says, looking around. "Your room is…decorative."

"Uh," Yosuke says, trying to inconspicuously hide the ten Risette figures on his desk. "Yeah."

"Is that a – "

"No. It is not."

**8. Eternity**

_"You...I know what you are," she says, voice trembling with fear and perhaps a little excitement._

_"Say it," he growls, menacingly close to her. "Say it out loud."_

_"You're...you're a vampire," she whispers, almost frightened to say it. "You never age, you're strong beyong belief...and you're far too handsome to be any normal human."_

_He stares at her, eyes burning mocha, before pulling her into a long embrace. "I love you," he murmers into her hair. "And because I love you I will not kill you; I simply ask that you keep this a secret."_

_"I will," she murmers back, falling limp into his arms. "I would never tell. Never."_

_He pulls back and surveys her face before leaning in. Their lips meet. It's more than anything she could have dreamed of, more than anything she could have imagined. It's perfection._

Souji really regrets accepting Magical Witch Detective from Daisuke.

**9. Gateway**

"This is it," Rise says. "This is the last gate. She's just up ahead."

The party shifts as one unit, looking into mist as if they might catch a glimpse.

"Is everyone ready?" Souji asks, unease curling tight in the pit of his stomach.

"As ready as we'll ever be, partner," Yosuke says, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing. Souji takes small comfort in the contact. "We're not turning back now. Not when we're so close." Everyone nods in agreement.

"Let's finish this," Chie says, stretching her legs. "For Nanako-chan and everyone else that's been hurt."

Yosuke grimaces, thinking of ash-blonde hair and the smell of tangerines. He looks to Souji, and Souji nods.

"Alright, let's go," Souji says, quiet and determined.

They pass under the gate.

**10. Death**

"Don't open that box!" Rise warns as Souji reaches for the latch. "I'm serious, Senpai, don't!"

"Rise, we've fought the Reaper, like, five times already. I think we can handle this," Yosuke says as Souji starts fiddling with the chest. Finally, after what seems like careful consideration on Souji's part, the lid pops open.

The Reaper isn't inside. "Oh," says Yosuke, disappointed. He really was looking forward to getting some new armour.

The temperature in the room drops. It's faint, but Yosuke's pretty sure he can hear a string of chains being dragged across the floor in the distance.

Panic settles into the room. Yosuke begins to feel dread uncurling in his stomach. Souji's eyes are bugging and he's frozen to the spot.

"I told you not to open it!" Rise wails. "What are we going to do? We have to find the stairs, where are they? _Where are the stairs?!"_

"Run!" Yosuke yells, and he has to drag a completely unresponsive Souji from the room and down the hallway.

**11. Opportunities**

"There, there," Yukiko consoles, patting Kanji on the back. "It'll be okay."

"I had so many opportunities to tell her," Kanji mutters. "It's my own fault for not acting sooner."

"It's not your fault," Chie says, offering him a meat gum. He declines it. "Don't worry, Kanji-kun, you'll find someone. Plenty of fish in the sea, and all that."

"Yeah, I guess so," he mourns. "But hey, the least I can do is be supportive, right? Y'know, send 'em some sweaters in the winter to show that I'm alright with it. Hey, what do you think says 'I support you no matter what' more: Portland Orange or Cornflower Blue?"

"He's getting over this pretty quickly," Chie mutters to Yukiko. Yukiko isn't listening.

"Ooh, how about Persian Blue? Very royal and yet still empathetic."

"That's a good idea, Yukiko-senpai. Thanks!"

Chie feels like smacking the both of them.

**12. 33%**

He waits all day for the game to finish downloading. It's something Yosuke gave him, saying he'd think Souji would like it. "I don't really play it anymore," he had said. "Just log in with my username and make your own character, it saves you the forty bucks." He'd laughed, scrubbed a hand through his hair a little self-consciously, and the subject had been dropped.

Eternal Punishment. Huh.

Halfway through the morning and it's only at 33%. Souji huffs out a sigh.

**13. Dead Wrong**

"I'm very disappointed," Dojima sighs, looking over the exam papers. "62%? What were you doing instead of studying?" He shoots a pointed look at Souji over the papers. "Were you out with girls or...?"

Souji wouldn't consider Yosuke a girl, but yeah, something to the effect.

Dojima sighs again at the guilty look on Souji's face. "Never mind; I don't really want to know. Your mother didn't ask me to raise your grades, but she at least expects you to maintain a good average. Try not to let this happen again."

Nanako gives him a devastated look from the living room, as if to say, "I trusted you, big bro. You let me down."

Souji grimaces and retreats to his room.

**14. Running Away**

"I don't know why we were so scared," Yosuke laughs, watching the Reaper circle around the room, occasionally firing its guns in rapid succession. "Why can't it go up stairs?"

Souji shrugs.

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, I guess," Kanji says.

Teddie trips over Kanji's shield in his haste to get a better look at the Reaper, tumbling down the stairs and lying sprawled on the floor.

"Oh crap," Yosuke says and the Reaper fires its guns again in what seems to be smug victory.

"Your sacrifice will be remembered," Souji calls down to Teddie as they make a speedy getaway up the stairs.

**15. Judgment**

_hi! ^.^_ an avatar says when he logs on for the first time. _welcome to EP online lolz_

_hi_, Souji cautiously types back. He's not really sure what he's supposed to do. _how do you know I'm new?_

_this is the n00b spawn ground_, she says. _ive beat the game a few times so i like helping out new guys! im maya btw :D_

_what's going on?_ he asks. _why is everything here in ruin?_ He was expecting a fantasy setting, maybe a forest or a mountain. But all that's around him is an abandoned city with crumbling buildings.

_did u play the first game? :/_ Maya asks. _its kinda hard 2 understand if u havent OTL_

She spends the next 10 minutes trying to expain it to him until he's got the gist of it.

_u havent entered ur name yet! :O_ she says. _i no, how bout katsuya? its a pretty cool name imo :_

Katsuya? Souji supposes he likes the sound of it.

**16. Seeking Solace**

"Sometimes I feel like you're the only one who understands me, Mr. Knickerbottom," Souji croons, lifting the cat onto his stomach. "I wish I could just sleep all day and roll around and purr..."

"I found him like this," Yosuke whispers to Naoto. "I don't know what to do."

Naoto frowns. "It would appear that Senpai, like everyone else, needs a little time to himself to relax once in a while. I suggest we leave him alone and never speak of this again."

**17. Excuses**

"Where were you last night?" Dojima asks through his newspaper.

"Uh," Souji says. He was spending the evening with Adachi, but something tells him Dojima wouldn't take the news very lightly.

Dojima lowers the newspaper. "Is there something I should know?" he asks, but his tone suggests that he won't let Souji evade the question.

"No," Souji says immediately. He winces. Dojima frowns.

"Are you two fighting again?" Nanako asks, looking up from her quiz show. She's frowning at them both.

"No," Dojima says immediately. He winces.

"This isn't work, daddy," Nanako scolds.

Dojima relents, but he gives Souji a look that says, "don't think I'm done with this."

Souji gulps.

**18. Vengeance**

Playing Risk was a bad idea.

"Ha, take that!" Yosuke shouts, rolling three sixes. "In your face!"

"Motherfu..." Chie grumbles, knocking two of her soldiers off the board.

Naoto is secluded to Madagascar and a couple inland sections. "I will have my vengeance," she keeps muttering, eyeing Rise darkly.

"How are you so good at this, senpai?" Kanji asks, having been utterly annihilated within the first three rounds.

"I'm very lucky," Souji says, rolling his dice to protect from Yosuke's encroaching army.

"You're out, Yukiko!" Yosuke crows, throwing his fist into the air. "Only four more to go!"

Yukiko blinks at him blankly for a few seconds before calmly and deliberately flipping the board over, scattering their game pieces everywhere.

"My vengeance!" Naoto cries, staring forlornly at the three cards in her hand. "I was so close..."

Yeah, playing Risk was a bad idea.

**19. Love**

The thought passes unbidden through his mind at the most inopportune moment imaginable. He blanks for a moment, wondering at the warm feeling in his chest warring with the cold dread, and all of it is because of _him_.

Souji kicks the soccer ball, hard and sure, and it makes a beeline for Yosuke's head.

He never stood a chance.

**20. Tears**

Yosuke blinks up at the sun and wonders when exactly he ended up on his back at all.

"Are you okay?" Souji asks from somewhere to his left. "I'm sorry, I thought you'd be able to dodge it - "

"M'okay," Yosuke says thickly. "Head hurts though." And this is true; as soon as he finishes saying it he can feel a throbbing headache manifesting behind his temples. Pain prickles along his forehead and his eyes well up. "Ouch."

"We should go to the nurse," Souji frets, helping him sit up. Dizzines assaults him and he clutches his head.

"That might be a good idea," Yosuke agrees, vision spinning in and out of focus. Now that he thinks about it, the back of his head hurts too.

Souji slings Yosuke's arm around his shoulder and grabs him about the waist, and Yosuke remembers all at once why he got hit in the head with a soccer ball.

"Oh," he says numbly, stumbling to his feet with Souji's help. Souji quirks an eyebrow questioningly, but Yosuke waves it off.

If anything, his headache only gets worse.


	2. Wake up and face the monster

Wow, look at me go, on schedule and everything! Unfortunately, next week's chapter might be a little delayed; I've got two tests and a midterm, and a project due (which is in Microsoft Excel, which I _hate_) this week, and I'm notoriously bad/slow at studying. I will try my hardest to get them done, but studying comes first, I'm sure you understand. :)

Anyway, this week will feature spoilers for the bad ending, and for some new P4G content. I'm also bringing Chie/Yukiko and Naoto/Rise more into play.

I would also like to note that I haven't actually played Persona 2: Eternal Punishment. I've tried the emulated version of it but I was so horrible at it that I stopped after about an hour. That being said, I've written everything in the drabbles including the P2 cast/setting through fandom osmosis and a little wiki-reading. I apologize if anything is inaccurate to the game.

Hope you enjoy! :)

* * *

**21. My Inspiration**

Yosuke looks at the photograph. It's framed, nothing too fancy, propped up on his shelf next to his CDs. Souji stands in the middle.

"Look at this photograph," he murmers. "Every time I do it makes me laugh..."

His phone buzzes. It's Chie.

_stop singing nickelback! ugh,_ the text reads. Yosuke sighs. The way she does that is uncanny.

**22. Never Again**

He doesn't try to pretend that he's okay.

"Saki Konishi, a female student from Inaba, was found dead this morning hanging from a telephone pole. The police are unsure of the cause of death, but - "

He turns the tv off, shuts his eyes, and cries.

The next day he hands Souji a golf club. "I don't want anything like this to ever happen again," he says. "You're either with me or you're not."

Souji nods. "We'll figure it out," he says.

**23. Online**

_heyy! ^o^_ Maya writes. Their avatars are standing in the depths of a cave. _u just missed the big event, it was HUUUUUGE! :3 _Her avatar laughs._but u no what? its just not the same as it was b4 :/ i used 2 have a friend i played w/ n he was RLY GOOD, lolz_

_are you saying I'm no good? ):_ Souji writes.

_no, ur the best ive had in AGESSSS, hehe,_ Maya says. _but he was rly good, super dedicated n stuff...i think we cleared 1 of the last dungeons in a couple hours once orz_

_what happened to him?_ Souji writes. _did he lose interest?_

Maya is silent for a long while. She types, then stops, then starts typing again before apparently changing her mind.

_ya,_ she says at length. _he lost interest. :/ i kind of miss him 2 b honest w/ u. but its ok cuz i have u now katsuya! ^3^ but enough of this sad stuff! we have a quest 2 do! hey do u have ne antidotes? i ttly went thru a poison trap earlier orz..._

Souji wonders what exactly is so sad about a friend losing interest in a video game, but he doesn't ask. He gets the feeling he wouldn't get a straight answer, anyways.

**24. Failure**

Teddie is the first to be dragged under, the first to die. Souji doesn't scream.

He doesn't scream until Yosuke is gone, until he's the only one left.

Hands pull enticingly at his ankles, crawling up his legs until they're looped around his torso.

He doesn't even try to fight them.

**25. Breaking Away**

Yosuke almost wants to ask when Souji opens the door wearing his pageant costume. _Almost._

"Hey, uh, partner," he says, cold sweat rolling down his back. "I thought we could, ah, catch a movie or something?"

"Alright," Souji accepts, moving to put on his shoes.

"Whoa! Time out!" Yosuke's voice spikes uncontrollably. "Please tell me you're not planning on going _out_ in that."

Souji quirks an eyebrow at thim. "Some of my blog's followers suggested that I try and break away from societal gender norms for a day," he explains. "I liked the idea. I'm reporting back tonight with my results."

"I'm." Yosuke doesn't know what to say. "Right. Well. Maybe we should, uh, stay in for a movie, then?"

Souji frowns, apparently confused. "Interesting," he murmers, then gestures for Yosuke to enter the house.

**26. Forever and a day**

"I feel like we've known each other for forever," he says, chuckling lightly and leaning his head back.

"Forever," the other agrees, reaching over to lay a shaking, gnarled hand over his partner's. "And a day," he adds.

"It's long enough, I think," Yosuke muses. "Or maybe not long enough."

Souji hums. "This sunset is nice, don't you think?" he asks. "My legs are a bit cold, though."

"Here, take my jacket," Yosuke offers. "Oh, damn, I've gotten myself stuck."

Souji laughs.

**27. Lost and Found**

Kanji feels kinda bad that he never did find that kid's stuffed toy. So he knits him a new one. And then he knits some more. Soon, every surface in his room has at least one stuffed doll sitting delicately on top of it.

"Damn, I'm out of fabric," Kanji mumbles, reaching for his sewing kit. "And it's too late to go to the store..."

"Kanji-kun, it's time for dinner," his mother calls, sliding his door open. "Oh, my, look at all these wonderful dolls. Did you make them, dear?"

"N-no!" Kanji lies, stuffing the sewing kit under his desk and affecting a posture of manliness.

"Mm," his mother hums skeptically, turning back toward the kitchen. "Well, do come along shortly. It won't do to have your food go cold, you know.

**28. Light**

"That attack never works," Yosuke jeers at the shadow as the floor lights up. "Thanks for wasting your - _Grrk!"_

**29. Dark**

"That attack never works," Yosuke calls over to Souji as the room dims. "I think you'd only be wasting your -_ holy shit!"_ He has to jump sideways to avoid the giant cards raining down.

**30. Faith**

Dojima wonders why horrible things happen to good people.

He doesn't consider himself a good person, not by a long shot. He was never there for Nanako. He didn't know how to care for her properly. He tried, but sometimes trying just isn't enough.

But he looks at Souji, surrounded by his friends, looks at his face, tight and barely containing his rage and grief, looks at his hands, clenching and unclenching and clenching again until they fall limp at his sides.

Dojima kicks and yells and has a fit until he's panting and he's pretty sure his side is bleeding again but dammit, he just doesn't care anymore.

Nanako's dead.

She's dead and she's not coming back and _that man_ - how is it that_ that man_ has the privilege of living when _she_ - she didn't even get a chance at it.

He looks at Souji's face, and it's nothing but pure anguish. Vindicated, guilty.

"We threw him in," he murmers to the floor. There's no one but them; all of his friends have returned home, grim and tearful. But not him. "He's not coming back. We threw him in for what he did."

"Good," Dojima says, low and rough, and it does nothing to mend the gaping hole in his chest.

He's not coming back.

But neither is she.

**31. Colors**

Yosuke sighs, pulling at a piece of his hair, turning his head this way and that, trying to get a better angle in the mirror.

"What's wrong?" Souji asks from his spot at the desk.

"I'm wondering if I should dye my hair back to its natural colour," Yosuke confesses. "The roots are coming in, so..."

Souji swivels the chair around until it's facing him. "That's not your natural colour?" he asks, frowning.

"No, I'm way darker," Yosuke says absently. "Why?"

"No reason," Souji says, but it feels like a chill has settled over the room. He swivels back toward the desk and starts writing furiously.

"Are you seriously mad at me because I didn't tell you I dye my hair?" Yosuke asks, exasperated.

"No," Souji says (sniffs, more like it), but the angry set of his shoulders tells otherwise.

**32. Exploration**

_omggg new dungeon expansion! ^O^_ Maya is excited, and her avatar is dancing around the square in circles. _u no im kind of happy this game isnt 2 popular lolz,_ she says. _2 many ppl wud make it 2 crowded n not as fun :_

They spend the next half hour or so trying to find shards of a mirror before giving up.

_this is just 2 hard! ):_ Maya yells, frustrated. _oh well, it was fun tho!_

They make their way back to the main quest.

_u no i used to bitch A LOT bout my job 2 my other friend,_ she says. _im a teacher! surprising, rite? :3_

Souji is surprised, but he tells her that he thinks it would suit her.

l_olz i no ur lying! ^3^_ she says gleefully. _i dont rly seem cut ou teacher online but irl im super professional...tbh it gets rly tiring. :/_

She pauses, pondering this. _but im not gonna start bitching 2 U bout my job lolz, dont worry! were here 2 kick jokers butt! : : lets go whoop some demon ass katsuya!_

**33. Seeing Red**

Naoto supposes things have gotten out of hand. She doesn't like to think of herself as _jealous_, per se, but things are starting to look a bit ugly.

Does Rise really need to be putting her hand on Souji's arm? Does she really feel the need to cling and giggle at everything he says?

"Ooh, senpai, you're so cool!" Rise coos, moving in closer.

Naoto closes her eyes and counts to ten.

Damn, but she's jealous.

**34. Shades of Grey**

It starts one sunny afternoon when the sun is high in the sky and the students are out for lunch.

The book makes its first appearance amongst a group of first year girls, passed back and forth between them amidst shrieking laughter and nervous giggles.

The next day, it's spread to the second floor. Yumi Ozawa doesn't even look up from it as they pass by.

The third years are quick to pick it up as well.

The teachers are reading it by the following week.

This doesn't bother Yosuke until he catches Yukiko and Chie with a copy, faces bright red and mouths hidden behind their hands.

"I can't believe - he didn't!" he hears Chie gasp from around the corner he's hastily hidden himself behind. "That's not right!"

"And she - I can't believe this!" Yukiko mutters. "This is a horrible representation of this lifestyle."

"Although..." Chie's voice takes on a thoughtful tone. "We haven't tried this one yet."

"You think we could?" Yukiko asks. "Of course, not like it's portrayed here, it's really terrible how they've been doing it..."

"Oh no, of course not!" Chie assures. "It just...it looks interesting..."

Yosuke doesn't want to know what they're talking about.

The next time he visits a book store, he spots the now-familiar cover sitting innocently on a shelf with a bright "STAFF CHOICE!" sticker pasted on the front.

He picks it up. He flips to a random page. He reads a few paragraphs.

_"What the hell is this?!"_ he exclaims, dropping the book like he's been burned. Several people turn to look at the cause of the commotion. Yosuke makes for a getaway.

He can't look Chie or Yukiko in the eye for weeks.

**35. Forgotten**

Souji sometimes thinks he's forgetting something.

At Junes. At the hill overlooking town. At Souzai Daigaku.

He doesn't know what. All he knows is that there is a niggling feeling of loss scratching at the back of his mind.

He smells the cherry blossoms in the spring, and he wonders why all he can think of is the colour blue.

**36. Dreamer**

"I think it's cute," Yukiko says. "Look at the way his leg twitches, it's adorable."

"S'nothing but weird," Kanji mutters, disconcerted. "What is he, a cat?"

Souji rolls over and his arms start twitching in tandem with his legs.

"He's probably dreaming about chasing mice!" Yukiko says, then giggles. "Mice that are shaped like bears."

Kanji gives her a look. "Okay, senpai," he says. "Whatever you say."

(He was having a seizure.)

**37. Mist**

"I'm sorry," he says. "I'm sorry."

He lost Yukiko a few hours ago. Chie refused to leave her, so he lost her, too.

There had been no word from Kanji, so he assumed the worst. He found Naoto in front of the shrine. Yosuke hadn't even made it out of his house.

Rise had been huddled in the little space between her grandmother's tofu shop and the adjacent store. He'd had to carry her out.

She sits in the corner, hugging her knees close to her chest.

The worst was when it all began, when he descended the stairs to the kitchen and all he could see was blood.

He can hear something scratching at the door.

"I'm so sorry," he says again, because he hasn't said it enough. Can't ever say it enough.

She nods and starts to cry.

**38. Burning**

He takes a walk at three in the morning for no reason other than that he can.

Living alone can do that to a person.

He's passing the hill overlooking town when something catches his eye. It's a flash of light, not bright or particularly interesting, but solitary and breaking the darkness for a few moments before flickering out.

A man is sitting on the bench. He's nothing remarkable; brown hair, red shirt, motorcycle boots. He's not really doing anything from what Souji can see, but the sound of a lighter flicking open and closed breaks the silence every few seconds before he catches Souji staring. His eyes are startled in the light of the flame, like he didn't expect anyone to be around (and rightly so).

Souji lowers his gaze and goes home.

When he wakes up in the morning he wonders if it even happened at all.

**39. Out of Time**

They couldn't save her.

He looks up at the little body strung haphazardly across the lines.

He screams.

**40. Knowing How**

"See, it's the way you hold yourself that's important," Rise explains. "If you stand all slouched over people will automatically know that you have no self-confidence! But if you stand like this - " she pulls her shoulders back and throws her chest out. Naoto's eyes bug. "Then people will know that you're not afraid of anything! Flirt a bit, and they'll tell you every single thing you want to know." She winks.

"I'm not sure this is really applicable to our investigation," Naoto objects, but Rise makes a tsking noise and wags her finger.

"Confidence, Naoto-kun," she sings. "Confidence is everything. Now watch this."

Rise saunters over to a couple of first year boys hanging out by the gazebo. Naoto can't hear what she's saying, but she twirls her hair and giggles into her hand and sways from hip to hip. Naoto finds it difficult to look away.

"I got all their numbers, a few date invitations, and one of them handed me this," Rise says when she returns, holding out her hand. A ring is sitting in her palm, shining innocently in the weak sunlight. Naoto frowns. "But I didn't learn anything useful. This sucks." She pouts a bit, eyeing the ring sourly.

Naoto sighs and shakes her head, but she's smiling despite herself.


	3. Running 'Round Town

Remember when I said I'd try to keep a weekly schedule? HA. HA. HA. Yup, midterms got in the way, and then I spent my entire break doing absolutely nothing!

This chapter contains spoilers for the new content in P4G (Marie and whatnot), a bit of P3 (but come on that game has been out for like 8 years now so) and P4Arena!

Also included is jealous!drunksuke because that went around on tumblr a couple weeks back and I couldn't resist.

(How about the P2EP PSN announcement, maybe now I'll actually play it!)

Warning that updates from here on out will be sporadic and probably not on any fixed schedule because wow I'm bad at that. I'm going to try for next week sometime, or maybe the week after that?

(Would you believe me if I told you that I still have trouble navigating the 'new' format because I do)

* * *

**41. Fork in the road**

_I can't believe you're hanging out with him instead of me,_ he feels boring into the back of his head. _I thought we were friends. I was gonna show you something super cool today. I can't believe this. Ugh._

He's going to start asking Adachi to meet him somewhere else other than the foyer of Junes.

**42. Start**

_Thou art I..._

_And I am thou..._

_Thou hast established a new bond..._

_It brings thee closer to the truth..._

The words fade from his mind and he's brought back to the floodplain.

"Dude, are you okay?" Yosuke asks, eyebrows drawn into a frown. "You spaced for a second there."

**43. Nature's Fury**

"Monsoon season," King Moron yells over the rain pounding against the windows, "is not an excuse for you boys to cozy up with the girls. I don't care how cold and wet you are, keep your hands to yourselves. Got it?"

They mutter their assent.

"Good! Now, who here can tell me..."

Yosuke zones out for the rest of the class.

**44. At Peace**

_i have 2 tell u sumthing katsuya,_ Maya says the next time he logs on. She's surprisingly serious for once.

_what is it?_ he asks. She doesn't say anything else, though.

Souji waits patiently until she starts typing again.

_i said that the guy i used to play w/ stopped playing, n he did, but it wasnt cuz he lost interest,_ she says. _he passed away a few years ago._

Souji doesn't know how to react to this, so he doesn't say anything at all.

_i didnt mean 2 weird u out but i felt like i needed to tell u,_ she says after the silences carrys on too long. _its ok tho, im not 2 sad bout it nemore._The way she talks indicates otherwise, but Souji holds his peace. _its been a while, like i said. almost 3 years now that i think about it..._

They don't do much playing after that.

**45. Heart Song**

Admittedly, it's a little weird having the little tune follow them everywhere they go. It's bugging him out a bit, actually.

"Hey, uh, Aigis-san," Yosuke ventures, not really sure where to start. "That song...uh, is there any chance you could...I dunno..." He winces a little as the music swells to a climax.

"I apologize," she says, and the volume lowers considerably. "I find it helps me concentrate. I've come to consider it as my battle song, if I may. It also makes my victories that much sweeter."

**46. Reflection**

"I'm not really human," Labrys says, eyes wide and pleading. "I'm not...I'm just..."

A machine. She's a machine, and she was created to fight. To never stop fighting.

"I don't want this," she says. "I never wanted this." She hugs herself tightly, tries to ignore the soft clicks and whirs that accompany her movements. "I don't want this," she repeats softly.

A hand on her shoulder. She looks up at grey eyes.

"It's okay," Souji says, a warm presence at her side. "You're not alone anymore. You don't have to shoulder everything by yourself."

"But this, all of this," she gestures at the room, at the broken and mangled bodies on the other side of the glass. "It's all because of me. I did this."

She remembers the feel of metal and wiring coming apart beneath her fingers like soft butter, oil bubbling up and over her hands until its source ran dry.

She remembers a soft voice and a soft smile, and the number twenty-four.

"Everyone has a side like this," Yosuke says, coming up on her other side. "Everyone has something they don't want to face. You're not alone."

Not alone. God, she's been alone for so long.

"But you need to accept it," Yosuke says softly. Her Shadow is standing in the corner, watching them. "It's the first step to moving on and learning from it."

"Accept it, huh?" She slides her eyes between the two, boy and Shadow. "Heh, easier said than done. But I..." she shakes her head. "You're right. I'm not alone anymore. I've got you guys."

She nods to herself, takes a deep breath, and speaks.

**47. Perfection**

"I'm not jealous," Rise announces to the group, glancing over to where Mitsuru (damn that cat-suit) is immersed in serious conversation with Akihiko and Aigis.

"Of what?" Yosuke says, confused.

"Nothing. But I'm still not. Jealous." She tries not to let her eyes wander back over to the trio. She would _kill_ for that figure.

**48. Everyday Magic**

He wakes up one day and everything is a nightmare.

"Gah, what happened to your _face_," he shrieks at Kanji when they meet up before school.

"What's wrong with my face?" Kanji asks threateningly. "S'nothing wrong with it."

"No, seriously, it's all...bug-eyed and your brow is protuding at least 5 inches and..._ugh_, I can't even look at it, I'm sorry."

Kanji looks hurt at this.

Yukiko looks like she had plastic surgery gone wrong; her eyes are far too large and her eyelashes end at least halfway down her cheeks.

Souji has an ever-present vacant expression, eyes oddly lopsided and unfocused, grinning crookedly and vaguely at the world.

He catches sight of himself in a mirror and almost faints; his eyes have taken on a square-like quality and his _hair_...

"Everything is quality," Souji tells him from that lopsided, gaping hole in his face. "We are all quality."

Yosuke screams and wakes up.

**49. Umbrella**

"Dude, you can't fit under here. Just go stand with Naoto-kun," Yosuke says, exasperated. Kanji's face flares bright red.

"Easy enough for you to say," Kanji mutters, keeping his voice low. "You've already got someone to share an umbrella with."

Yosuke splutters indignantly at this. Souji coughs into his hand, but seems quietly amused.

"Really, I don't mind," Naoto says, frowning. "We're going to be late for school if we don't hurry, though."

"Th-then I'll just run there," Kanji says, face still flushed, and takes off at a sprint.

**50. Party**

"I don't care if she's an _idol_ or whatever, she needs to back off," Yosuke complains. He's very drunk. Souji just chuckles softly. "No, man, I'm serious, it's all..._senpai_ this and _senpai_ that, god, doesn't she know any other words?"

Souji snorts into his drink. This brings a faint, if grudging, smile to Yosuke's face.

"If it's any consolta...consolation," Souji says, fumbling a bit (he is also very drunk), "she knows I'm not interested."

"Yeah, well, I still don't like it," Yosuke mutters into his red cup.

"Hey," Souji says. "Hey, didn't you take your parents' car here?"

"Yeah, why?" Yosuke frowns, confused. Souji gives him a look. "Oh," he says, realization dawning. "Oh, yeah. I did."

"Do you wanna..." Souji shrugs and looks off to the side, fiddling with the lip of his cup.

"Yes," Yosuke says almost immediately. "I mean sure," he amends as Souji chuckles softly again.

They don't do much talking after that.

**51. Troubling Thoughts**

_You are not going to kiss him_, he tells himself, over and over again while they study._ Don't do it. It will only end in failure and embarrassment._

The hollows of Souji's neck become prominent as his raises his arms over his head to stretch them out. Yosuke catches himself staring.

_I knew this was a bad idea. "Keep your hands to yourselves" my ass, it's kind of harder than that._

Souji's looking at him, eyebrow quirked.

_Oh shit. Don't look at his face. If you look at his face you'll want to kiss him and that will end horribly. Don't look at his face, don't look at his face don't look at his face don'tlookathisface -_

He looks at Souji's face. Mild amusement, but the corners of his lips turned down in confusion. "Are you alright?" he asks.

"Yeah," Yosuke says. It squeaks several octaves higher than its intended pitch. "I mean. Yes. I'm fine."

**52. Stirring of the Wind**

"Do you think you could turn it down a bit next time?" Chie yells over the wailing gale, barely audible.

"I'm sorry!" Yosuke yells back, but the wind whips his words away before they can even make a sound. "It's the first time I've used this!"

Yukiko is struggling to keep her hair out of her face. She looks displeased.

Yosuke had been so excited when Susano-o had learned a new skill. _Magarudyne_. It sounded so _cool_ at first. Now, not so much.

**53. Future**

_u no, im thinking of quitting the game after i beat it again :/_ Maya tells him._ its not u or nething, dont worry orz_

They're a few floors into the last dungeon. It's challenging, but Maya is skilled and knows where to go.

_I'll miss you_, Souji says, because he will.

_aww katsuya thats so sweet! ^/^ but tbh its not rly 2 much fun 4 me nemore. ur pretty much the only reason i keep playing lolz..._

They spend a moment healing their characters and applying appropriate buffs.

_i was just thinking bout the guy i used 2 play w/..._ Maya seems hesitent to tell him this._ i think the only reason i kept playing after he died was 4 him :/ tryna keep him alive n stuff, rite? but all its doing is making me think about him 24/7_

_it's hard to forget a loved one_, Souji says.

_it is. :/ but i think its time i moved on w/ my life! playing this game n feeling sad bout it isnt gonna change the fact that hes gone. its kinda funny tho...he was rly excited 4 EP 2 come out..._

Their buffs blink and then disappear.

_sorry katsuya, i dont think ill do the final dungeon 2day,_ Maya says, and then logs out.

**54. Health and Healing**

"Senpai, your health is really low," Rise warns. "Like, really, _really_ low. You should get that looked at."

"Kind of busy, Rise," Yosuke says, dodging another lightning attack.

"Here," Souji calls, casting a group heal. Yosuke sighs in relief, and promptly gets hit by another lightning spell.

**55. Separation**

"Teddie."

The lump emits a non-commital grunt.

"_Teddie_."

The lump rolls over.

"He's only been gone for an _hour_."

The lump starts crying.

**56. Everything For You**

He thinks, belatedly, that this was an incredibly stupid idea. He thinks, as Souji's face wavers in front of him, in and out of focus, that this could possibly be the stupidest thing he's ever done.

He can't find it in himself to give a shit, though.

"You'll be alright, you'll be fine, we're working on it, it's going to be okay - "

Yosuke wants to ask, "What'll be fine? Everything's fine already. You're okay." The blood in his mouth is thick, though, and he can't form the words around it.

There's a hand on the side of his face, moving to the back of his neck, holding his head up. Souji is alarmingly close to panicking, eyes wide and lines tight around his mouth.  
"It'll be fine," he keeps saying. "You'll be okay."

Yosuke almost laughs, but gurgles instead, and tries to ignore the pressure in his chest.

**57. Slow Down**

It doesn't matter how fast they go. They have to get to her. They have to reach Yukiko.

"Hey," Yosuke chides when she collapses against a wall in exhaustion. "You're going to burn yourself out this way. Slow down."

"Can't," she huffs out, pushing herself back to her feet. "Not while Yukiko is still in here. I_ can't_."

"Listen," Yosuke says. "How're you gonna feel if we reach Yukiko-san and can't do a damn thing about it because you're too exhausted to stay on your feet?"

"Shut up," she says.

"_You_ talk to her," Yosuke complains to Souji, throwing his hands in the air.

**58. Heartfelt Apology**

_sorry i bailed on u last time,_ Maya says._ i just needed 2 think 4 a bit. but im ready 2 kick ass 2day lolz_

_it's okay,_ Souji says.

_n im sorry i dumped all my emotional baggage on u 2,_ Maya says, insistent in her apology. _i didnt mean 4 it 2 get so heavy. guess ive just been bottling it up. but i feel soooo much better now that ive told some1. thanks 4 listening katsuya :)_

_no problem. (: are you still planning on quitting after we beat the final boss?_ Souji asks.

_ya, im probs gonna stop gaming 4 a while after this,_ she says. _uve been a rly good partner tho! every1 else i tried playing w/ b4 sucked so bad :/_

Souji laughs.

**59. Challenged**

"I think...I think she wants us to turn back," Rise says, alarmed. "She doesn't want us coming after her. But why?"

They cut through another rope and struggle through the ensuing fight. They're all exhausted.

"Why won't she accept our help?" Yukiko asks, face flushed. "It doesn't make any sense."

They don't want to say it, but they're reaching their limits. If they can't find Marie on the next floor or so, they'll have to turn back.

**60. Exhaustion**

"Ugh, I'm so tired," Chie pants, leaning forward on her legs. "Anyone have an extra can of Tap or anything?"

"Here," Yukiko supplies, offering her the one she was drinking from. "I'm not that tired anyways."

This is a lie; Chie can see the way her shoulders are strained, can see the tight lines on her face, the way her bangs are sticking to her forhead.

"You know what, I think I just caught my second wind," she says, straightening up and hopping from one foot to another. "I'm fine, really," she insists at Yukiko's concerned expression.

"Well, alright," Yukiko says, frowning, but she drinks the rest of the can.


	4. And that day a ship set sail

You get a ship, and you get a ship, and you get a ship, and you get a ship...

(This chapter is going to be shippy, watch out.)

I don't really have much to say other than wow I'm almost done? Like I've almost written 100 of these things, what the hell is going on?

(This will be the first time I finish something I start writing that isn't a one-shot in about seven years)

(oh god I feel old)

(and I really do need to finish that other stuff buuuuuuut)

* * *

**61. Accuracy**

Naoto musters up the courage to kiss her behind the school on a dreary afternoon in the middle of October. She closes her eyes, leans in, and just goes for it.

She gets the corner of Rise's mouth.

"Ooh, Naoto-kun, you're too cute!" Rise squeals, making Naoto almost regret her decision. "Here, let me..." She touches the sides of Naoto's face, leaning in and -

_Oh_, so that's what it's like.

It's rather pleasant, actually.

**62. Irregular Orbit**

"It's creeping me out, man," Kanji mutters, low so as not to attract their attention. "They won't leave me alone. They keep asking me to make them stuffed animals. They want me to _hug_ the stuffed animals."

Yosuke glances over at the group of girls peering around the corner of the building. They catch him looking and burst into a round of giggles.

"That is really creepy," Yosuke says, feeling a shiver make its way down his spine.

"KISS HIM!" one of them yells. The others shriek in laughter, pushing her to the back of the group.

"The hell did you just say?!" Kanji yells back, jumping up and raising a fist.

The group shrieks again and disperses, chattering animatedly amongst one another.

"See what I mean, Yosuke-senpai?" Kanji says, sitting back down. "And they won't leave me alone."

Yosuke pats him consolingly on the shoulder. "I'm sorry to say this, dude, but I think you've attracted the attention of the otaku club. There's really not much hope left for you now."

Kanji groans and lets his head fall into his hands.

**63. Cold Embrace**

"Holy hard nipples, it's cold out here!"

Pointed silence.

"I'm sorry."

**64. Frost**

"Here," Kanji says, thrusting a snuggly-looking sweater at her. It's blue.

"Thank you?" she says, taking it apprehensively, confused.

"I made you 'n Rise some sweaters for this winter," Kanji explains, a little gruff. "I mean, I made sweaters for everyone else too, but these are special."

"Why are they special?" Naoto asks, still confused.

"These are 'I support you no matter what' sweaters," Kanji says. "They're extra warm and snuggly to keep out bad vibes 'n stuff. So yeah. I support you 'n Rise no matter what, and anyone who says otherwise can go to hell." He stops abruptly, face colouring in embarrassment.

"Oh," is all Naoto says. "Thank you." This time she means it.

**65. A Moment in Time**

The night they rent out in the love hotel is possibly the most awkward one they've ever shared.

They'd forgotten about the mirrored ceilings. And the vibrating feature on the water bed.

Still, though, Chie muses as Yukiko emerges from the small bathroom, clad in some new see-through thing they picked up along the way, she's glad they took the time to spend together.

**66. Dangerous Territory (continuation of 19 - Love, 20 - Tears)**

Yosuke thinks back to the summer and how his crowning moment of realization dawned seconds before he took a soccer ball to the head.

He thinks about how Souji's arm around his waist was warm as he half-dragged him to the nurse's office.

He thinks about the concussion he had.

He stops thinking about that because it wasn't very pleasant.

But he does think about Souji during it all. Warm, sheepish, apologetic.

It was all rather cute, he remembers thinking through the haze of the concussion.

He wants to say something cool, something witty. He wants Souji to laugh, eyes crinkling at the corner in the way that means he thinks it's really funny.

Something that will get across the point of, 'hey, I like you, and I hope you like me too,' without being too earnest or cheesy.

He ends up saying, "So, I kind of want to kiss you right now," because it's what he was thinking and he never did get the hang of filtering his words when he was nervous.

He follows that up with a brilliant, "Uh." which is followed by a luminous blush (god, could this get any _worse_?), a few more stuttered words of protest and ends with him staring holes into his feet as his toes scuff the ground.

Souji says, "Oh," in a weird way, like he really wasn't expecting that (which, _duh_, he wasn't), eyebrows raised and mouth slightly open, but he doesn't back off or frown or do anything that Yosuke was expecting him to.

Instead, he raises an arm and places a hand on Yosuke's shoulder, says, "Okay," very quietly (if Yosuke concentrates he can feel the slight tremor of Souji's fingers through his jacket), and kisses him.

Souji's lips are a little chapped, but they're warm and his hand has moved from Yosuke's shoulder to cup his face (Yosuke's not sure where to put his hands so he just settles on Souji's waist), and Yosuke's really not complaining about the turn of events.

After months of thinking and agonizing and just pure teenage _angst_, Yosuke thinks it's safe to say this is possibly the best thing to have ever happened to him. Just a bit.

**67. Boundaries**

"I'm very ticklish," Souji says, completely serious. His messed-up hair and flushed disposition make it difficult to actually take him seriously, though.

"Okay, I can understand that," Yosuke says, feeling a bit inappropriate having this talk without a shirt on. Or pants, for that matter. "But your_elbows_?"

**68. Unsettling Revelations**

"I messed it up last night. Instead of using vanilla extract I put in ice cream. Teddie insisted." Souji sighs.

"So what happened?" Yosuke asks, wary.

"It melted, bubbled over, and then when Teddie tried to _touch_ the bubbles..." he sighs again. "It exploded in his face."

Yosuke laughs. "Seriously? That guy, I swear...he's okay though, right?"

"Well, aside from some mild facial scarring he should be fine," Souji says, completely deadpan. Yosuke shoots him an alarmed look. "I'm joking; he's fine."

"But still," Yosuke muses. "You'd have thought _you_ of all people couldn't mess up a meal."

"Teddie insisted," Souji reminds him, a little hurt.

"Yeah, but you didn't have to go along with it," Yosuke grumbles, massaging his empty stomach.

**69. Shattered**

Teddie screams, a terrible, high-pitched shriek that echoes through the house.

"What are you _doing_, sensei?!" he yells, covering his eyes with both hands and stumbling down the hall. "What's going_ on_?!"

"I knew we should've gone to my house," Yosuke mutters from his position atop Souji.

Souji sighs, reaching for his pants. "We'd better go explain."

**70. Bitter Silence**

"Look, I said I was sorry about the nipples comment."

Nothing.

"I was just trying to lighten the mood!"

Still nothing.

"I even hugged you after. Come on, partner, you've gotta forgive me. It was an error in judgment, I've learned from my mistake!"

Sullen mutters.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"I said, 'you don't even _have_ nipples'."

**71. The True You**

"I ate Nanako's science project," the Shadow says. "And I ate her dessert. I think my uncle's tie looks stupid. Yosuke needs a haircut."

"Hey," Yosuke says. Everyone ignores him. Souji is glaring at the Shadow in stony silence.

"The only reason I get such good marks in school is because the teachers give me extra notes at the end of class. I'm their _favourite_."

Yukiko gasps. Souji says nothing.

"I don't even know how to fish properly. I just stand on the dock and hope something bites the line."

Kanji shoots Souji a wounded look. Souji looks embarrassed at this.

"I'm really more of a _dog_ person," the Shadow laughs.

Souji screams and charges forward.

"What, really?" Yosuke says. "Seriously?"

No one is paying attention to him. He sighs, pulls up his headphones, and joins the rest of the team.

**72. Pretense**

"You don't have to keep acting all macho in front of me, you know," Naoki says over his bowl of rice. "I've known you since we were, what, six? Seven?"

"What's the supposed to mean?" Kanji asks at length.

"I know you," Naoki says simply, shrugging. _You don't have to put on the act in front of me_, remains unspoken, but it hangs in the air. "Besides, I've got some tears in a couple of pairs of jeans I need to get fixed. I thought maybe you could show me how?"

"Oh," Kanji says, a bit surprised. "Okay. I can - I can do that."

**73. Patience**

Kou has waited two and a half years for this.

Yes, he remembers when he started keeping track. Last year of middle school, when he turned just so at that one moment after school and caught sight of him. Just standing there, then leaning over to stretch. He'd been complaining that his legs had felt all cramped up because of practice cancellation due to the snow.

He doesn't know how Daisuke had gone from his dorky best friend who never took off his damn gym uniform to someone who made his chest feel all tight and fluttery in the space of a day.

He hadn't been overly concerned with this revelation - in all honesty it seemed like a natural progression for him - and so he had avoided any angsting the subject might have otherwise brought him.

He had figured that if he waited long enough, Daisuke would clue in somewhere along the line.

Unfortunately, Daisuke always had been a little slow on the uptake with matters concerning himself.

Two and a half years later, and Daisuke is stuttering out a badly stunted confession of sorts, saying, "I really like you, like, _like_ like you, so, uh, yeah, I kind of want you to, uh...be my boyfriend, I guess?" and trailing off into awkward silence, staring at the ceiling.

"That sounds good. I like you, too," Kou says, just nice and simple, because it's something he's wanted to say for a very long time and he had decided, about a year ago, that all the dramatics that came with love confessions didn't suit him. "Want to get something to eat?"

"That's it?" Daisuke says blankly, and Kou almost laughs because he can imagine perfectly the weeks Daisuke must have spent agonizing over this. "We're just gonna...go get supper like we normally do?"

"No, stupid, this is a date. A _date_. It's different because now we're gonna send each other googly eyes over our meal. It will be romantic."

Daisuke looks like he's seriously reconsidering this whole 'boyfriends' thing.

"I'm joking." He resists adding a _duh_, because Daisuke is already confused enough as it is.

But a hand slips into his as they exit the building and he squeezes it, just a bit, to show that he kind of wasn't.

**74. Midnight**

She's not sure when exactly she notices the change in her room, but one moment she's completely alone and the next...well, the next she's not.

A group of people is standing in the middle of her room and she's not exactly sure what to say to that.

"Oh," one of them says, a girl with dark red hair. "This is...rather awkward, isn't it."

Yukiko stares at them.

"Er...I'm sorry about this," the girl continues, gesturing at the people behind her, each looking suitably sheepish. "We'll just...be leaving now."

"If it would make things easier, Mitsuru-san, I have a sensory-overload mechanism in my - "

"That will be quite alright, Aigis," the girl, Mitsuru-san, says quickly. "Again, I'm sorry about this. Let's go, everyone. And _try_ to avoid drawing the attention of anyone else, please."

The group moves toward the door, either nodding amicably in her direction or trying to ignore her completely.

**75. Shadows (continuation of 56 - Everything For You)**

He keeps having dreams.

They always start with the shopping district. He stands on the road, in the middle of an intersection, dim light from the overhead street lamps filtering through the fog.

A figure always approaches through the fog. Sometimes it's from the Konishi Liquor store. Sometimes it's from Daidara's. But it always approaches, that jaunt in its step and swing in its shoulders, almost as if walking in time to an imaginary song.

It's not Yosuke. He keeps telling himself that. It's not him.

But it looks so much like him, everything from the hair to the half-smile breaking his face in half. Everything but the eyes, glowing luminous and yellow, cutting through the fog before its body even becomes clear.

It's not him. It's _not_.

The dream varies at this point; sometimes the Shadow will just stand there, staring at him, accusing him, not saying anything. Sometimes it will come so close, staticky and disjointed, first in one spot and then in another within the span of a second, that he can almost smell the sweat on it. Sometimes it will take a handful of Souji's hair and yank his head back so far that he thinks his neck might snap, whispering into his ear.

_You did this. It's your fault. All of it. It's on you._

It's _not him_.

At this point the dream shifts; the concrete beneath his feet turns to metal, the sky overhead swirls into red and black, and the Shadow is on the ground, gasping and heaving through lungs that won't work, blood bubbling up between its teeth and through the hole in its chest, and Souji finds himself on the ground beside it, cradling its head in his hands, a stream of useless words issuing from his mouth.

Except it's not a Shadow anymore.

His eyes are brown and he's choking on his own blood and no matter how many times Yukiko or Teddie cast a healing spell the wound doesn't want to _heal_.

Souji is saying, "oh god, please stay with me, it will be fine, you'll be okay, we're working on it, you'll be _fine_ - "

And Yosuke looks like he wants to say something, tries to say something, but all that comes out is a sick, wet, gurgling noise from his throat.

He wakes up, sweaty, shaking, and stumbles from his bed, through his door, barely making it to the toilet before he throws up.

A light down the hall clicks on. Dojima finds him huddled against the counter, head buried, hugging his knees close. He didn't even flush the toilet.

It's been this way for, god, how long now? Two weeks? Three? It's always the same. Dojima will say, "Hey."

He won't say anything else. Just, "Hey."

And Souji will sway to his feet, flush the toilet, nod at Dojima, as if to say, "yes, I'm okay," and make his way back to his room, drying his eyes on his sleeve.

**76. Summer Haze**

"God, it's hot out," Kou complains, wiping a forearm over his forehead. "How are you still wearing that?"

"I've acclimatized to the heat," Daisuke says, completely unfazed in his gym uniform.

"You're crazy, you know that?" Kou huffs out a laugh. "Geez, I can't stay like this. Wanna go swimming?"

**77. Memories**

"This is Nanako eating supper and here she is doing her homework and, oh, I almost forgot! This is when we went to Junes last week and she tried on a funny hat!"

Yosuke thinks his face might look like someone slapped him with a squid.

"Here she is watching Phoenix Featherman R and there she is taking a nap. She's so cute."

"Dude," Yosuke says weakly, "I think you have a problem."

**78. Change in the Weather**

"It's snowing!" Nanako chirps when he visits her. "I love snow. You can go sledding, and skating!" She looks out the window, then down at her hands. "Dad hasn't brought me skating in a while, though."

"We'll go skating when you get better," Souji promises, wondering if the Samegawa freezes over thick enough.

"Wow, really?" Nanako gasps, then smiles bright enough to make the snow outside look grey. "I'm gonna go skating! Skating!"

**79. Illogical**

It's completely illogical that she should harbor this irrational fear of rejection.

They've kissed. More than a few times, too. She knows Rise likes her, and rather a lot at that.

At least she thinks so.

"Naoto, I'm not a boy," Rise says, confusion etched into her face. She's holding a box of chocolates in her hands.

"Yes, well. Hrm." Naoto had an argument ready for this, but she just can't seem to recall it at this moment. "I thought you might like them."

Rise opens the box. The chocolates are shaped like cats. A small smile blooms as she picks one up, turning it over in her fingers.

"They're so cute," she coos, then bites the head off of one. "And delicious! Wow, Naoto-kun, I didn't know you could bake! Thank you!"

She refrains from mentioning that most of the baking had been done by Souji.

**80. Only Human**

"I'm. I don't know what to say," Yosuke says, aghast. "He just. He."

"He transformed into a space rock and impacted with the Earth at high speed," Aigis supplies.

"Yes. That. Is he dead? Did we just watch someone die?"

"It's understandable that you might be surprised," Aigis says, calm as you please. "You are, after all, only human."


	5. They ain't gonna catch you when you fall

So uh...how 'bout that term paper I'm supposed to be writing? I've been playing video games (MGS just slays me oh my god) and reading books and writing fic and...it's due on Wednesday. :|

This is it, huh? I've got all 100 prompts done and...I feel accomplished? I actually finished something? What the hell is going on?

It's been fun, guys! Thank you all so much for your support!

Spoilers as ever for the bad ending, the good ending, the true ending, etc etc etc you know the drill by now. Chapter title taken from Bastion's The Pantheon (an excellent game, everyone should play it if they haven't already).

* * *

**81. A Place to Belong**

"The landlord said no cats."

"But look at her. Come on, look!"

Yosuke's not going to look. If he looks, he'll see it. And he'll see Souji's face, and his sad eyes, pleading with him. Begging.

"No."

"But she's just a kitten; she can't survive on her own. I can be very persuasive," Souji says, practically waving the ball of fur in his face. Yosuke knows he can. He accidentally looks.

Dammit.

"Fine,_ fine_. Just...just leave me out of it, okay?"

**82. Advantage**

"She uses lightning, senpai! What were you thinking?" Rise wails as Yosuke is, once again, knocked unconscious.

"How could I have known that would be her element?!" Souji cries, dodging Izanami's third consecutive attack.

"Weren't you paying attention at all in Iwatodai?!" Chie shrieks from her position guarding Yosuke's prone body.

"Kanji, no!" Rise yells, but it's too late; Kanji casts the spell and Izanami's health regenerates.

Kanji screams in frustration.

**83. Breakfast**

Kou learns the hard way that neither of them can cook.

"I messed up eggs," he says, feeling a little hollow. "_Eggs_." This wasn't what he'd had in mind when he'd pictured their great morning-after-moving-into-the-new-apartment breakfast.

Daisuke pats him on the shoulder in grim solidarity. "I set the toaster on fire," he reminds him. "I don't think we'll be able to get that spot off the counter."

"The landlord is going to kill us," Kou agrees.

"And we're probably going to starve," Daisuke adds.

Oh well. At least they'll be together for it, right?

**84. Echoes**

He only investigates because he hears the echoing crash of gym equipment falling to the floor. Someone could be hurt. If he left it alone it would stick to his conscience for days.

"I say it's high time you stop polishing_ those_ balls and start polishing _mine_," Daisuke's voice floats out of the gym threateningly. Yosuke almost chokes on his own spit.

"That's the worst pick-up line ever," Kou admonishes, then sighs.

"Hey, I tried."

"Whatever."

He takes a peek into the gym. Not because he's curious, he tells himself, but because there might be someone else trapped under the soccer net.

"Is _everyone_ in this town gay?!" he hisses to himself as he creeps away, trying to unsee what he just witnessed.

**85. Falling**

A vanishing staircase. Clever.

"Ngh," Yosuke groans, rolling onto his side. He hisses in pain and recoils, instinctually clutching at his ankle. "Shit. Ah - "

"Are you okay?" Souji asks, at his side immediately.

"It's my ankle," Yosuke groans. "I must have sprained it, or broken it, or _something_ when I fell. _Ah_ - hurts like hell."

Souji's hand is on his shoulder, and it distracts him from the pain a little as Yukiko prods at it.

"I think it's broken," she says, brow creased. "Hold on, this might hurt a bit..."

Yosuke almost bites clean through his tongue as a wave of pain stabs through his leg. But then it eases off, and he sighs in relief.

"Here - " Souji helps him stand, catching him around the waist when he stumbles a bit, still ginger on his feet.

"Thanks," Yosuke grits out, knuckles white on Souji's shoulders. He sighs, frustrated. "_Shit_. I can't walk on this by myself, let alone fight _Shadows_on it."

Souji frowns, shifting his weight to offer more support. "We should go back for today then," he says, looking around to the group.

They're not happy about it, of course. Yosuke grimaces again.

"Hey," Souji says quietly, once they're on their way. "Hey, don't worry about it, okay? We'll pick up again once your ankle is better."

Yosuke tries to smile reassuringly, but it comes out half-assed so he lets it drop after a few seconds.

**86. Picking up the Pieces (continuation of 56 - Everything For You, 75 - Shadows)**

The desk behind his is empty.

There is no tapping of a pen, or the rustle of notebook paper, or a huff of frustrated confusion.

It's just empty.

**87. Gunshot**

There is a deafening crack, and then silence.

Everything freezes into some kind of morbidly funny tableau; the raised gun, the frozen expression, and the hand just starting to inch toward his gut; the insane smile, the boy on his knees, hands now pressing into his stomach as blood seeps around his fingers, sword forgotten on the ground; the man, hands to his head, still clenching the gun in one fist, laughing as though his chest might burst and the boy, now crumpled to the ground, curling around the wound and screaming until his voice cracks and he has no voice left to scream with.

Three scenes before it breaks and everything comes rushing back far too quickly to the present.

"Who would have thought - " Adachi is gasping for air, doubled over, "all I had to do was shoot the brat!" And then he's off again, hooting to himself and waving the gun around haphazardly.

"Souji!" Yosuke yells, _screams_, dropping his knives, stumbling over to where his friend lay, convulsing weakly and wimpering, the fight gone out of him.

That seems to break the others out of their stupor; as one they yell, drop their weapons, and rush to Souji's side.

"There's nothing you can _do_," Adachi says, finally calming himself, wiping a tear from his eye. "Your _magic_ doesn't work on _real world_ injuries. Ha, can you _believe_ it? All I had to do was _shoot_ him!"

"We have to get him out of here," Yosuke says, low, urgent, strained, applying pressure to the gaping hole in Souji's stomach where his friend's hand has gone limp. "It's the only way to save him." Already Souji has lost so much blood; his face is pale and he's slipped into unconsciousness, something Yosuke might consider a small mercy if the situation weren't so grave.

Kanji nods, hoists Souji carefully into his arms, and Teddie prepares for a quick Traesto.

"There's no way you'll make it in time," Adachi calls after them as they blink back to the entrance. "Your _leader_ is as good as dead."

**88. Possession**

"Well, this is new," Rise says, agape. "I don't know what to do about this yet, senpai, just let me - senpai?"

"I love you," Souji says to Yosuke, and then leans in.

"Dude," Yosuke says, trying to pry his face away from Souji's. "_Dude_. What are you _doing_?"

Rise frowns at her visor. "Oh, this is bad. He's been possessed by a...love spell? Can shadows even do that?"

"Well apparently they can, now how do we fix - mmph?!" Souji had succeeded in what appeared to be squishing their faces together as closely as possible.

"Oh," Chie says, falling still and gaping.

"I see," Yukiko murmers.

"Guys, a little help?" Yosuke asks before Souji hooks his leg around Yosuke's knee and sends them both tumbling to the floor. "_Guys_?!"

"The affliction isn't deadly, is it?" Chie asks, decidedy red in the face.

Rise shakes her head. "No, it just increases in potency before dwindling out."

"Oh, well in that case, there's not much we can do, right?" Chie says. "Might as well wait it out, right?"

Yukiko looks like she agrees.

"I hate all of you," Yosuke groans.

**89. Twilight**

"Naoto-kun?" Rise asks, concerned. "You've been reading that all day. Don't you think you should put it down?"

"In a moment," Noato murmers, turning the page. "It's strange. I find almost everything about this book utterly deplorable, and yet I cannot put it down." She turns the page again. "Rise-san? Would you mind prying the book from my fingers?"

Even as Rise complies it's a difficult endeavour. She manages, though, and Naoto looks utterly befuddled at the pages she had torn out trying to keep hold.

**90. Nowhere and Nothing (continuation of 87 - "Gunshot")**

He wakes up in a white room with white curtains surrounding him, white light pouring down from the overhead fixture. He drifts in and out of consciousness for a while after that, a few nurses milling around him, prodding his arm, checking his blood pressure, pressing cool hands against his forehead to guage a rough estimate of his temperature.

He slips into sleep again and the next time he wakes up his uncle is above him.

He tries to say something, but his throat feels like it's been rubbed raw by sandpaper and all that comes out is a rough sort of half-gurgle.

Dojima doesn't say anything, but his expressions says it for him; _you're an idiot and how could you do that and what were you thinking and I'm so glad you're okay I don't know how Nanako would live without you I don't know how I would live without you -_

Souji closes his eyes as the guilt presses in on him, closing in from all sides until he can barely breathe.

The next time he wakes up Yosuke is there.

"Hi," he says, voice gravelly, surprised he can talk at all.

Yosuke, like his uncle, doesn't talk at first. He stares at Souji for a long while, eyes wide, before something in his expression twitches and his face crumples. He begins sobbing, drawing in deep, gasping breaths, trying to wipe his eyes on his sleeves as the tears continue leaking out.

"I was so worried," he says once the crying has subsided. "You're - I - everyone thought - " he can't finished the sentence.

"I'm fine," Souji says, and thinks that maybe if he says it enough he'll believe it himself.

"You were _shot_ in the _stomach_ four days ago," Yosuke says, "you are not _fine_."

"And Adachi?" Souji asks, because he needs to know.

Yosuke's eyes slide to the side, unable to look at him. "He's still in there. We couldn't go in without you, we never would've made it."

"We need to go after him," Souji says.

"We can't."

"Yosuke - "

"We _can't_."

Something in Yosuke's voice stops him from protesting further.

"We almost lost you," Yosuke says, voice cracking. "_I_ almost lost you. We can't go back in there."

Because Adachi has a gun. Because wounds inflicted by _real world_ things like _guns_ can't be healed with their personas. Because Souji almost _died_in there, and there wasn't a single_ thing_ anyone could have done about it.

They're running out of time.

**91. Answers (continuation of 30 - "Faith")**

"I just want to know," he says into the blue room, to the old man with the long nose, "if you knew this was going to happen from the start."

"I did not," Igor says, smiling benignly like always. "Your decisions defined your actions; your actions defined your destiny. We had no way of knowing more than you, I'm afraid."

Margaret has stayed silent, eyes downcast and lips pursed.

Souji cannot deny his words, but he doesn't want to believe them; wants to kick and scream at the man until he gives him a more satisfactory answer, wants to tear the vehicle apart if only to satisfy his anger.

"Your journey is over," Igor says, more sharply now, perhaps sensing Souji's intentions. "You have been quite a remarkable guest. I only regret that we must part under such circumstances."

"Wait," Souji says, desperation creeping into his voice. "I'm not - I can't - there must be some way to save her. _Please_."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Seta," Igor says, sighing. "But there is not. Now I believe it is time you take your leave."

Souji is about to protest this - he can't leave, not yet - but his thoughts become jumbled and fuzzy, the room in front of him blurs; the countless whispers in his mind fade and dissolve until there is silence and he is staring up at the dark ceiling of his room.

He cannot recall Igor's face or Margaret's voice.

The house is very, very empty.

**92. Innocence**

"You're such a manwhore, big bro!" Nanako chirps delightedly at the dinner table.

Souji chokes on his drink. Dojima shoots him a pointed glare over his noodles.

"You and Teddie are manwhores!" Nanako says, then giggles. "Hey, big bro, where are you going?"

Souji doesn't answer. He's too busy trying to bash his head into the door jamb.

**93. Simplicity**

"So...take-out?" Chie looks at the mess of..._stuff_ they had created for lunch.

Yukiko looks at it too. I was supposed to be a chicken caesar salad. It doesn't look like a chicken caesar salad.

"Take-out," she agrees.

**94. Reality**

_well this is it!_ Maya says, excited. _the last boss. u ready to kick some butt katsuya?_

_you know it,_ Souji says.

_just remember what i told u and u will b fine, _she says._ cast a bunch of kaja spells while i do nuclear jihad n pantheon, cuz nyarly likes 2 use megidolaon and its a pain in the ass 2 block if ur not all buffed up. i think ur ready 4 this! :)_

Almost forty minutes pass while they whittle down The Crawling Chaos' health until it's in the red.

_we r so KICKASS!_ Maya shouts when they land the final hit.

They watch the final cutscene, collect the dropped items, and leave the chamber.

_hmm well i guess this is it 4 me,_ Maya says._ im kinda sad now that i rly have 2 go. it was rly fun, katsuya :3 seeya around!_

_see you,_ he says. What he really wants to say is, _don't go._

Maya logs out.

Souji ejects the disk from his computer, sticks it back in its case, and slides it onto the shelf.

**95. Acceptance (continuation of 87 - Gunshot, 90 - Nowhere and Nothing)**

The body appears on the last day of December. Strung up high on the telephone wires, leg dangling below him at an angle that isn't natural.

"It would appear that he wasn't as in control as he thought he was," Naoto observes quietly as the paramedics work to untangle him. "The shadows eventually got him, too."

"That son of a bitch deserved it," Yosuke grinds out, hands clenched into fists in his pockets. "I hope they _hurt_ him before they killed him."

"_Yosuke_," Chie says sharply, shooting him a look.

"I don't care," he says defiantly, though he can't look at the body being lowered onto the stretcher. "After what he did to everyone, what he did to _Souji -_ I can't forgive him. He deserved this."

If Souji were here, he'd reprimand him. Tell him he was being too rash, letting his emotions cloud his judgment.

But Souji's not here. Souji's sucking air through a tube because of _complications_. Because the shards of the bullet that were embedded in his gut gave him an infection that spread throughout his abdomen and nearly killed him a second time. Because the bastard who was just declared legally dead was_ bored_ and had a fucking_ gun_.

He's glad the son of a bitch is dead. And if the world ends tomorrow because of it - well. He thinks, with not a small hint of cynicism, that maybe they all deserve it.

**96. Lesson**

"She annihilated us," Yosuke groans, aghast. "I can't feel anything. I think we're dead."

Souji and Kanji groan in agreement.

"I told you not to underestimate me, senpai," Naoto says from the doorway, deadly quiet. "I've come to finish the job."

She raises her paintball gun and lowers her eye to the scope.

**97. Rebirth**

"Children of man...well done..."

Whatever else is said is lost as Souji throws his arms around Yosuke and refuses to let go.

"Hey," Yosuke says, tentatively returning the hug. "We did it."

Souji just holds him tighter. "I watched you die," he whispers into Yosuke's shoulder. That's all he says, all he needs to say. Yosuke swallows and holds on tighter.

**98. Game**

"DO YOU THINK THIS IS A GAME?!" Kanji shouts at the first years who had tried, unsuccessfully, to prank him. Said first years are currently huddled in a tree, presumably fearing for their lives. "HUH?! YOU THINK I'M JOKING?"

He grabs the trunk of the tree and begins forcefully shaking it.

Souji thinks he _should_ try to help the first years. But then, their prank was in _really_ bad taste...

He's content to watch as they cling to the branches and start yelling for their mothers.

**99. Friendship**

Souji looks at the group of people surrounding him on the train's platform.

"We'll miss you, senpai," Rise sniffs, trying her hardest not to cry. "It just won't be the same without you, you know?"

Everyone nods their agreement.

"Be sure to write," Yukiko says.

"And call," Chie adds.

"I will," he assures. "Every week."

"You better, or Nanako-chan will cry," Yosuke says with a wink. "And you wouldn't want that, would you?"

They all share a laugh at that.

"I'm gonna send you some scarves come winter time," Kanji says gruffly. "They're gonna be soft as all hell, mark my word. And Teddie here's gonna help me with 'em." Teddie nods enthusiastically in affirmation.

"Be sure to keep in touch, Sensei," he chirps. "If you don't call us, we'll call you!"

"Be well, senpai," she says.

The warning whistle sounds.

"Well, you better go," Yosuke urges, eyeing the train. "Don't forget about us, okay?"

He steps onto the train, turns around, and says, "thank you." The doors slide closed.

**100. Endings**

"I knew you for what seemed like forever," Yosuke says. He's sitting on the ground, cane across his lap. "And a day," he adds as an afterthought.

The stone monolith in front of him is almost imposing, but Yosuke's seen it enough over the years that it's become familiar.

"I wonder how I'm going to stand up," he says. "I never did like using my cane. Your chair was sturdier."

"Mr. Hanamura?" An aid has come to find him. He supposes he's lingered long enough.

"Just a moment, please," he implores.

"Of course," she says, and steps back respectfully.

"Well, I suppose I'll be seeing you soon," he says. "Just give me a bit of time, eh? See you around."

The aid helps him up. She helps him into the car. She helps him into his room, into his chair.

Just a bit more time. That's really all he needs.


End file.
